What to do if a pet goes missing

It was raining that day in March when Randi Cecchini of Dunthorne Drive, Thompson Ridge, let Jake out, expecting him back in a minute or two. After five minutes, she called his name. Nothing. With five young kids underfoot, she couldn't leave to go looking for him on their 16 acres.

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By Mary Esparra

recordonline.com

By Mary Esparra

Posted Jun. 20, 2013 at 2:00 AM

By Mary Esparra
Posted Jun. 20, 2013 at 2:00 AM

» Social News

It was raining that day in March when Randi Cecchini of Dunthorne Drive, Thompson Ridge, let Jake out, expecting him back in a minute or two. After five minutes, she called his name. Nothing. With five young kids underfoot, she couldn't leave to go looking for him on their 16 acres.

When Randi's husband, John, came home a few hours later, he searched for their 9-year-old, 70-pound American bulldog.

"In nine years, they've never left the property," said John of their three family dogs. "He's never gone more than an hour. He's not the type."

John searched in all directions on his 4-wheeler. By nightfall he called the police and posted Jake on Craigslist and Facebook.

"The next day I went out again on foot and started knocking on people's doors," said John. I feel like if he got hit by a car or is on someone's land, someone would've reported it."

They checked local shelters and put up posters.

"We're trying not to lose hope, but we're getting more and more frustrated," John said.

The Cecchinis are doing all the right things to find Jake, but there's more a lost pet owner can do, says Suzyn Barron, president of the Warwick Valley Humane Society:

Contact local police, shelters and veterinary offices with your pet's description, and leave a good contact number, not one with a full voicemail or one that is not in service.

Use Lost Pets of the Hudson Valley Facebook page to network.

Place unwashed clothing around the perimeter of your property to draw your dog home.

Keep looking! They do not just disappear.

Michelle Gorta, director of the Canine Sanctuary, offers these tips:

Touch and drop leaves in the area. Start in a small circle and expand wider, dropping leaves, pine needles, anything you have touched with your scent as far and wide as possible.

Empty a vacuum bag (scents from home) on a long trail.

Offer a tempting reward.

If you see Jake or a lost dog on the run, "definitely use food as a lure," said Barron. "If he is hanging around the same area, then use a dog trap after withholding food for a day, and monitor that trap from afar. If he is dog-friendly, try looking for him with another, friendly dog. Unless he comes to you, do not approach and try to grab him. It may scare him into biting or running off again. Try sitting down, offering roast beef or chicken pieces and try to win his trust slowly and patiently."

Make sure his collar fits securely with legible identification tags including current phone number and address.

Microchip your pet and keep it registered with current information. Most shelters and vet offices have scanners to access the information.

Always use a leash unless you have a secure, fenced-in yard.

Never leave a pet unattended in a yard. Any dog can be stolen.

There have been a few reports of a loose dog resembling Jake, but nothing recently. In March, the family got several calls of a muddy dog at a ballfield in the Town of Wallkill. John returned a few days in a row but didn't find Jake.

"People are well-wishers, and I'm really encouraged on one hand," said John, "but someone must've seen him or picked him up. I'm counting on someone to do the right thing and call me so he can come home."

If you have seen Jake or know where he is, call John Cecchini at 401-1819.